The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has asked President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to consider a waiver on electricity bills as part of social interventions put in place to cushion Ghanaians against the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
President Akufo-Addo in a nationwide television address on Sunday announced that government will take care of the water bills for all Ghanaians for April, May and June 2020.
Although the PPP commended government for absorbing the water bills, the party in a statement said same should be extended to electricity bills.
“…We recommend a three months waiver on electricity bills (GHS300/month cap for households and GHS500/month cap for commercial entities) since free and continuous access to water and electricity are necessities in our fight against the Coronavirus,” PPP said in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Nii Allotey Brew-Hammond.
Declare nationwide lockdown
The party also called on President Akufo-Addo to declare a nationwide lockdown instead of the partial lockdown in place now.
Accra, Tema, Kasoa and Kumasi are observing a partial lockdown currently in its second week subject to review.
The decision, according to the President is to help curb the spread of COVID-19.
However, in the press statement, the party noted that, “considering the way COVID-19 is spreading at breakneck speed, creating a severe public health emergency and its potential negative impact on families and businesses, we support the call from the Ghana Medical Association for the President to declare a nationwide lockdown.”
“Our best bet is to stop the infection in both directions from spreading and we recommend that if surgical masks are limited in supply and government cannot distribute this freely to all Ghanaians, then people who do not work in the healthcare sector should stick to fabric masks, like the ones people are sewing at home,” the statement added.
The PPP in the statement also urged “the President to ensure that the Coronavirus Alleviation Programme (CAP) which the Finance Minister presented to Parliament, with the objective of protecting households and jobs, is managed transparently and for the benefit of all citizens.”
The statement further admonished the general public to adhere to all the safety guidelines to prevent themselves from contracting the pandemic, donate blood to the national blood bank “to help us avoid a life-threatening blood shortage” and to “put on our compassionate lenses by supporting our own indigenous businesses with stimulus packages”.
